1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrode which will give a reference electrical potential for a system for potentiometrically measuring an ion concentration in a solution. More particularly, it relates to an electrode which may be used as a reference (control) electrode or as an internal reference electrode of an ion electrode (ion-selective electrode). The ion electrode includes, for example, a glass electrode used for pH measurements.
In the present specification, the reference (control) electrode and the internal reference electrode of the ion electrode are termed collectively as the "reference electrode".
2. Related Art and Discussion Thereof
As a reference (control) electrode, a silver-silver chloride electrode is used extensively. A potassium chloride solution, saturated with silver chloride, is usually employed as an internal liquid, in which a silver-silver chloride internal electrode is immersed. Occasionally, the internal liquid is communicated with a liquid under examination by means of a salt bridge solution (refer to page 45 of "Ion Denkyoku to Kouso Denkyoku" (Ion Electrode and Enzymatic Electrode) by Shuichi Suzuki).
However, if the internal liquid is present in the state of solution, it may be depleted due to drying or the like. Thus it becomes necessary to replenish the internal liquid for prolonged use. Although it has been attempted to gellate the internal liquid, the gel is similarly deprived of moisture due to drying on prolonged storage so that it no longer acts as a liquid bridge. Therefore, there is much to be required in the conventional reference electrodes.